1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a numerical controller having a sound converting unit, used in a machine tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, in order to evaluate the motion of a drive axis of a machine tool, a device, for displaying physical quantities such as the position, the speed and the acceleration of each axis on a monitor, has been used. Such a device is used along with an analyzing process such as frequency analysis, in order for an operator to more effectively evaluate and adjust the motion. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-178447 discloses a technique for converting a measured value obtained by a sensor part into information which is easily recognized by an operator for adjusting parameters, whereby the operator can understand the state of a mechanical device.
Generally, the evaluation and adjustment of the motion of the drive axis is carried out by visually analyzing data displayed on a display. However, other than the visual information, auditory information, such as oscillation sound or resonation sound, is also useful. Since the auditory information includes characteristic parameters such as a frequency and a sound volume, unlike the visual information, the auditory information can be understood more intuitively than the visual information. However, in order to hear the sound of the mechanical device, the operator must stay in the vicinity of the mechanical device. Further, in order to know an effect due to the adjustment of a filter used for reducing the oscillation and/or resonation of the device, it is necessary to recognize the sound of the device or carry out the frequency analysis relating to obtained data.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-178447, vibration having amplitude and frequency equivalent to the maximum amplitude and oscillation cycle of the measured values, or sound having sound volume and frequency equivalent to the maximum amplitude and oscillation cycle of the measured values, is presented to the operator, and then the operator adjusts the machine based on the presented vibration or sound. However, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-178447 does not disclose that the displayed waveform is converted into the sound, that the sound after the parameter adjustment is simulated, and that the sound is synthesized from a plurality of waveforms which are arbitrarily selected.